Breaking Hearts, Breaking Promises
by reindeerguardian
Summary: When Mina's family suspects Vlad of being something more than Mina's violin teacher, he decidse to lay low for a few years until the whole thing blows over. But can he and Mina go that long apart from each other?


"Mina!" the Count called from across the stretch of sand. The little girl building sand castles by the waves looked up at the sound of her name. Her expression changed from one of curiosity to pure excitement.

"Count!" she laughed, abandoning her sand castles and racing across the sand to jump into his arms. "I thought you said you couldn't come because of the sun!" she said, trying to look him in the eyes through his sunglasses. He chuckled.

"Well, vampires don't live for eternity without developing their own methods of sun protection."

"Oh." Mina said not entirely understanding but glad that her friend was here.

Lucy had made plans to go to the beach with Bobby and some other of her friends. Mina, naturally, had thought it unfair if she couldn't go too. Well, long story short, their father caved and insisted Mina go with her older sister.

"And be sure to keep a good eye out on your sister." He'd instructed Lucy. "Don't let her drown or get kidnapped because you want to hang out with your friends."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever Dad." Lucy rolled her eyes, still upset that Mina had to come. Mina was sure to invite the Count the second she'd seen him that night, and had reminded before he'd left. Although he had seemed doubtful. Being a vampire, the beach was a natural enemy during the day.

But here he was, swinging her around playfully. Lucy, surprisingly, followed her Father's instructions and came to check on her little sister.

"Mina who are you- oh!" she said, immediately recognizing Mina's 'violin teacher'. "Well, hello Mr. Vlad." She said getting closer to him and fixing her hair subconsciously.

"Eh…hello…" he managed. Mina was about to say something when someone called Lucy's name.

"Lucy!" It was Bobby. Lucy blinked, looked from the count, to her boyfriend, and then back to the Count.

"I'll be back later." She said hurrying over to give Bobby a greeting kiss.

"Thank goodness she's gone." The Count breathed.

"Yeah." Mina agreed as he set her down. The two walked hand in hand, Mina was chattering about something, but he wasn't entirely listening. He was focused more on what she was wearing. He said inwardly.

Suddenly she stopped walking and offered him a seat on the extra towel she'd brought in case he showed up.

"I'll go get some drinks!" she called, running off to the concessions stand.

"I'll wait here." He murmured, having no actual plans to drink whatever she brought him. He looked around and immediately felt a pang of panic.

"Egads!" he cried aloud. The place was positively teeming with teenage girls. He actually recognized a few of them from previous 'scheduled meetings'. He felt a little dizzy trying to control himself. He must have been really lost in thought because he didn't even notice when Mina came back with a soda for him.

"Count?" she asked a little worriedly. "Are you ok?" he snapped out of his daze.

"Oh! Yes Mina I'm fine!" he assured her as she handed him the beverage.

"…gee….thanks…" he struggled for words. She laughed.

"Let's go swimming!" she cried rushing off toward the waves. He laughed as he followed her. They splashed in the water, laughing and enjoying them.

Meanwhile, keeping true to her Father's instructions, Lucy and Bobby sat on the beach keeping a watchful eye on her sister.

"Hey Luc', who's that guy with your sister?"

"That's her violin teacher, Mr. Vlad.

"Vlad huh? Sounds pretty fake. So what's he doin here?" Bobby inquired.

"Well, they're super close. Mina says he's her best friend." She laughed. "Mina's so imaginative! She says he's a vampire and that he visits her at night." Bobby gave her an incredulous look.

"'her best friend'? 'Visits her at night'?" he said getting a strange look on his face. "Maybe Mina's tryin to tell you guys something."

Lucy looked confused. "What do you mean?" Bobby shifted in his seat.

"How much does your Dad pay for her lessons?"

"He…doesn't…" she said slowly.

"Really? Have you guys done, like, background checks on this guy?"

"No…" she said sounding stupid to herself

"What if this guys' some kind of Pedophile?" he asked. "Look at that!" he pointed to where Mina and Vlad were hugging.

"Well…maybe your right…" Lucy said thoughtfully, scared a little. _Oh my gosh! No wonder he doesn't like me! He likes little girls!_

"Oh no! Mina!" she cried, kissing Bobby goodbye and hurrying over to where her little sister sat building sand castles with her supposed violin teacher.

"C'mon Mina! We're leaving." She said, shooting the Count a poisonous look.

"Aw do we have to?"

"Yes!" she said, picking up the little girl and carrying her towards the car.

"Goodbye Mina." Vlad called, waving to her.

"'Bye Count!" she waved back.

"Don't talk to him Mina."

**Later that night…**

Mina lay in her bed, wide awake, waiting her vampire friend to come see her for the last time. She cried silently, tears slipping down her cheeks and onto her pillowcase.

_Daddy said I can't go see the Count again_. She thought sadly. _He says the count is a bad man and that he might try to hurt me. But they're wrong._

_He'd never hurt me._

Outside her window, Vlad poofed from his bat form into his vampire self.

"Mina?" he called softly. She sat up in her bed, trying to wipe her tears discreetly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned for his best friend. "Is it Nick again?" he growled.

"No." she sniffed

"Then what's the matter?" she was silent for a moment so he sat down next to her on the bed. Finally her voice came.

"My Dad said that I can't come see you anymore." She choked out. "He says that you might hurt me." For one terrifying moment Vlad wondered if they'd somehow found out he was a vampire. But then she said something that completely changed his mind.

"…he said that if you touch me I have to tell an adult."

_Oh._

_Oh my._

The way she said it made him understand immediately what was going on. Was it better they thought him a pedophile or a vampire?

"I told them that you wouldn't ever hurt me, but..." her voice trailed off caught in her quiet sobs. The Count thought long and hard about what to do.

"…well then…I should go." He said quietly. Mina's head shot up and she stared at him in disbelief.

"What?!"

"If that is what your father wants, the I should respect his wishes. "He whispered. The last thing he needed was the police brought into this.

"You can't leave me!" she cried.

"It'd only be for a little while Mina, just long enough for them to forget. And then we can see each other as much as we like."

"…you promise?" she managed between sobs.

"Mina I promise I'll come back to you." He moved towards the window and she threw herself upon him, hugging him tightly as tears pricked at her eyes and she cried with all the force in her.

"I'm so sorry Mina." He breathed into her long red hair. They stood there like that for what could have been eternity, eons stretching on forever when he finally pulled away.

"I love you Mina. Don't you ever forget that." He whispered and with that he poofed into a bat and flew out into the dark night air. Until that moment, Vlad had forgotten he'd had a heart. But now he remembered it. Because when her pained little voice spilled "I love you too count!" Into the night, he felt it breaking.


End file.
